How do I decorate my home for less ?

Question

Can you tell me the your top couple of decorating tips for us budget-conscious people? How much can we get away with doing ourselves ?

Answer 1

There are lots of things that you can do to save money when buying merchandise.

I am a designer and I never need to use my "designer discounts" in order to design my own home. Unfortunately, I cannot plug my various resources (due to the spam rules) so I will do my best to explain:

Going to the "Scratch-n- Dent" or "As Is" Sections of major retail chains. One major Scandinavian retail chain has a GREAT "As Is" section right around the cash registers. If you are not sure if your favorite store(s) have these sections, pick up the phone and ask....If they don't ask where they send there opened boxes, floor models, returns, etc.

Another way to catch a great design deal is check Websites where people in your community can post items for sale. Kind of like an online garage sale. Only the serious sellers with quality merchandise will take the time to photo graph and write up a description. It is rare to find sellers put there "junk" on those sites.

Shopping Districts, swap meets, discount stores are also great places to get design bargains.

As far as saving money by "Do It Yourself" projects, well that would depend upon your williness to take chances, personal ambition to start and finish projects and of course level of creativity.

I love to take chances and try new things. I had my heart set on color washing my walls, I had no idea or formal training on faux finishings.... So I read a few books, pulled together some supplies and just "had at it". It turned out beautiful....and I get lots of compliments. Sometimes, you just got to dive right it. So what if it doesn't come out the way your envisioned.....sometimes it comes out even better!

There are lots of ways to inspire "Creativity". Books, design shows, visiting model homes or arts and crafts stores. My favorite is looking a nature. You can pick your room colors from your favorite landscape or scenery. (Forget about trends). Use the same concept when selecting textures. (Perhaps bring in your favorite rocks and showcase them in a clear vase).

Once you do select you colors and theme, carry samples and photos of your ideas with you, this helps you stay focused making a better shopper. I personally do an electronic sample board of my ideas. I save photos of products and/or ideas from internet searches. Then I pop them into a document and see how all my ideas look together. If I don't like something, all I do is hit delete and "poof" it is gone.

No matter what, I suggest surrounding yourself with the things you love. Don't follow trends. Just follow your heart. If you follow trends, you will constantly be spending money everytime the trend changes. If you follow your heart and design a space especially for you.....well, your investment will go alot longer.

Have fun. Trish

Answer 2

The success of any decorating scheme depends on how well it suits all the members of your family. To create a décor that you will be happy with, think about what you want and also what you don’t want.

It’s a good idea to know what you have before you begun to change things. As you begin to pull your design ideas together, think about your preference and what will work in your home.

Color can work wonders... it can change the look of a room and change your feeling about the room. You can start by looking through magazines, and catalogs. Give yourself plenty of time, it will take longer than you think, and your ideas will develop as you go.

Gathering samples is a great way to begin. If you are starting with a color, your samples might include fabric, paint chips, wallpaper, carpet, wood, stone, and tile.

Knowing what you can spend on a project will give you a clearer idea of what you can achieve. If you’ll on a limited budget, mark off those things that will make the most difference, such as a new wall color and a new sofa.

You can set the mood of a room in lots of ways, such as lights, and furnishings. There are no hard or fast rules or must-do sequence for this process.

Answer 3

In such an age as 2006 it's not easy to find out how to decorate for less.I'd never suggest old items in large amounts.It gives the smell of a second hand shop.It's better to wait for sails on places like Ikea(If you have one).You can buy second hand photo frames and wood furniture.But a sofa ;no.Enjoy open space in your house and decorate it bit by bit.

Answer 4

Yard sales
Big Lots and Walmart
Watch the newspaper for ads
freecycle (do a search on yahoo for a freecycle near you! 100% free items that others don't want)
and the number one answer: PAINT. Paint is sooo cheap, and you can paint a wall and have a really new look! We did our den in a nice yellow, then used a sea sponge to put a browner yellow over the top...everyone loves it! It looks like wallpaper and can be painted over if we get bored with it.
**Pick a 'theme' or a look. We use "bring the outside inside" and used yellow on the walls, white trim (so crisp and clean looking) with lots of house plants and white accents like frames. Go to hgtv.com for theme/color ideas.
Chair rails make things even nicer for less!

Answer 5

My hubby and I "redo" old furniture. If you watch the decorating shows on hgtv you can get ideas of how to do this without having to strip old paint, varnish or stain. We sand first and then use spray primer. Then spray with black making it darker around edges. Let dry a little and then use a brush to lightly smooth and blend for a natural look. Also you can prime and then use stain over it for a wood look and make a grain or mottled pattern with sponges, cloth or brushes. One time we bought old scratched up maple end tables for $5.00 and made them look like mahogany. Still have them in the living room and people think they look great.

Answer 6

I watch hgtv and go to their website hgtv.com. Also check out the HOBBY LOBBY near you they have awesome home decor for bargain shoppers like us. I just decorated my bedroom for 80 bucks. Stay away from big dept stores when shopping you will get ripped off. Hope this helps

Answer 7

Using stuff you already have! okay your grandp's left you a painting but it never got hung... or a vase thats hidden under the sink, um hello it's for decoration!

photo albums? make copies of those oh so cherished photos and put in frames, hang on walls.

paint! changing a color can be very dramatic to any room.

rearange furniture. there are really lots of things. Watch DIY TV shows on like HGTV

Answer 8

Hi - there are lots of things you will be able to do yourself, but anything involving electrical, plumbing or advanced carpentry skills should be left to professionals.

Simple things like painting a wall anyone can do if you buy the right products.

If you are after cheap supplies (like discounted kitchen wares, bathrooms etc) look on Ebay and in your local Trading Post Publication.

Answer 9

Paint the rooms yourself. Buy some fabric to throw over the chairs and sofa. Your house will look good as new, and not cost a lot of money. Goodwill and Salvation Army are also good resources.

Answer 10

Do it yourself and check out web-sites for ideas. You can do a lot of things yourself for a fraction of the price a conatrator charges.

Outside work use pea-gravel instead of mulch it lasts years and looks so pretty. Use bricks instead of landscape timber. The timbers rot and cause termites.